Lahore—Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) has launched a program on “Supporting Pro-poor Governance for Legal Empowerment (Pro-GOLE) for Marginalized Businesses. Addressing the launching ceremony at Hamdard Center here Wednesday, Sultan Tiwana, General Manager Business & Sector Development Services said that the project would be executed in 12 districts- Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan Sargodha, Faisalabad, Mianwali, Muzafar Garh, Rahim Yar Khan, Khushab, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bhakkar including 7 worst flood affected districts of the Punjab province.

He said that Smeda had been selected for implementation of the regional pilot project among more than 22 countries of the world after endorsement of its proposal by UNDP.

He said the programme would also support to generation economic opportunities and economic protection in the province. He informed that all government departments, like labour, LDA, legal service providers, court bar associations, Chamber & Trade Associations, NGOs and social enterprises and academia would be taken on board for effectiveness and viability of the program

Shaheen Tahir, National Project Manager, while giving a detail presentation about the program. Under the project, there will be established four legal aid centres for small marginalized businesses, 10 trade associations, 10 corporative business Associations for marginalized businesses. He informed that SMEDA has been selected to do a regional pilot from 22 countries to implement the right to do business component of the project; other components to include access to justice, property right, right to do business and labour right. The ceremony was also attended by a large number of representatives from the small business associations.